Welcome to our 2022 Spring newsletter
In this edition read on to discover how Mipela GeoSolutions’ “Celebration of Purpose” revolves around people. We provide our most recent client success story, Epic Energy’s transition to the Cloud to optimise and automate several of their business processes and workflows. We also learn how Jemena’s use of our X-Info suite to migrate their legacy Subdivision Management System (SUMS) Microsoft Access database, to a new integrated solution with Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) Electronic Applications and Referrals (SPEAR) online service adds value to their business.
“Celebration of purpose”
Mipela GeoSolutions started in 1997 and we went from offering Professional GIS Services initially based in Brisbane for projects in Queensland, to working on projects interstate in Northern Territory, South Australia, Victoria and overseas in Papua New Guinea in the first three years, to diversifying our revenue into offering Products with X-Info Maps V1 released in 2002 and subsequent X-Info suite modules DBYD (Automated Response), Connect (Data Management), WebConnect (Data Delivery), Aware (Data Capture) 1st generation by 2013 and 2nd generation all administered from X-Info Connect by 2021, guided by our purpose of Connecting People With Information that we have become known for today.
It’s about the People
To our Wantoks: I am grateful for the opportunity to work with talented, dedicated, and passionate people every day. Their commitment to put our clients first and to live our values I believe have been integral to Mipela’s progress and success.
To our Partners: To be in business for 25 years, we recognize the importance of establishing collaborative partnerships that bring extraordinary value to both Mipela GeoSolutions and our Clients. We thank our partners for their commitment, expertise and skills in helping us serve our 250 plus Clients nationally across Australia, Internationally in New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and now halfway around the world in the USA.
To our Clients: Thank you for trusting us for many years, in making us Energy & Infrastructure Specialists has given us a rich understanding of the Solutions we provide today. We are honoured to have your trust and will work tirelessly to continue to deserve it.
Shaping the Future
It feels like we’ve only just started.
This next 12 months, see us offering new Solutions, entering the next phase in product roadmap development around platform, alongside advanced data analytics and systems integration. We are creating new services, transforming our operations, improving our client end to end experience, and continuing to deliver value to our clients by automating their daily activities to providing assurance with their reporting and compliance in-line with the highly regulated sectors we operate in.
The journey hasn’t been easy. It takes courage, passion and perseverance. As Mipela GeoSolutions celebrates its 25th anniversary, I would like to toast our Wantoks (Past and Present), clients, partners and suppliers who have helped us simplify the way people connect with information. Let’s continue to shape the future together.
On a lighter note, I look forward to seeing our Clients in Brisbane 24-27 September for the 2022 APGA Convention & Exhibition. Focusing on this year’s theme of Connect, Share, Discover join us for a coffee at Stand 14 as we reflect on various projects of significance shared over the last 25 years that we have been lucky to be involved in with many of you and learn about how we are delivering assurance in your data, systems, people, projects and operating assets, reinforcing our commitment to being reliable throughout time.
In closing, I would like to acknowledge and welcome our most recent new clients, HyperOne, Service Steam, Total Eren and thank the significant number who have renewed their annual contracts in the last three months, we greatly appreciate your support and thank you for the trust you put in us.
From all the team at Mipela GeoSolutions, stay safe!
Hayden McDonald
Founder and Managing Director
South Australia gas pipeline operator, Epic Energy has been a client of Mipela since 1999. Over that time, Epic has adopted several software solutions using X-Info Suite products to deliver land management, third-party works preliminary design, Before You Dig responses and Safety Management Studies.
As part of an internal process improvement project, Epic identified several opportunities to utilise its existing X-Info Suite software to optimise and automate several of its business processes and workflows. These included automating annual landowner contact reports and automation of updating landowner/occupier/manager details. Furthermore, the introduction of the Works Management module to its existing X-Info DBYD suite would automate a permit management solution, associating Before You Dig enquiry responses to the respective land parcels in the land management system, ensuring appropriate permits are issued and managed accordingly.
Users were also recently introduced to a new browser-based user interface, using X-Info WebConnect. The introduction of activities not only simplifies the user experience but now access removes any irrelevant information from the user, based on role-based permissions.
In addition, the introduction of Mipela’s mobile data capture app, X-Info Aware, has allowed field workers to communicate and access information in real time, doing away with the need for paperwork.
Migration of this software solution to a cloud-hosted environment has also identified efficiencies in server and software management, eliminating the need to configure and maintain onsite infrastructure, increasing agility of the software and accelerating innovation looking forward.
“The introduction of X-Info WebConnect and X-Info Aware apps to support the Land Owner Contact program has created a minimum 50% efficiency gain for our frontline employees allowing these resources to be utilised in managing backlog workstreams that would otherwise require short-term labour investment,” said Jarrod Gilby, Manager of Business Improvement and Assurance.
“As well Epic has automated both the BYDA and Third Party Works process, creating a seamless solution for the updating of our SMS module, supporting Epics requirement of a paperless solution,” added Peter Faunt, Asset Awareness Officer.
Adopting this new functionality has resulted in improvements in business process automation and provides users with simpler user interfaces, requiring minimal training and efficiencies relating to working in a paperless environment.
This project is a fine example of Mipela connecting people with information.
In late 2021, Jemena contacted Mipela to discuss the possibility of migrating its legacy 1990 Subdivision Management System (SUMS) Microsoft Access database to a new, automated solution, using X-Info Suite.
As a Referral Authority, Jemena’s Subdivisions team receives ~400 referrals a month from SPEAR, requests for further information and consents to referrals that could affect Jemena’s existing and future electricity assets. This information was being manually entered into the Microsoft Access database and managed externally in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet for the regulator, a time consuming and often onerous task in managing the volume of referrals. Mail merge template letters were also created in Microsoft Word, converted to Adobe .pdf files to be sent to recipients (SPEAR, Councils or authorities). This, coupled with the repetitive process of tracking in an accurate, consistent, efficient and timely manner the communications with all stakeholders for further information and consent were the key drivers for change.
Recently, the successful results of this project were delivered to the Jemena business.
“We are very happy with the results, X-Info Suite makes our Subdivision administration and work processes so much more efficient,” said Gail Ervine, Subdivisional Officer, Strategy & Commercial – Electrical Distribution for Jemena.
Automating these processes was not only a significant time saver but taking manual intervention out of the equation also meant less room for error.
The establishment of this new SUMS system included the migration of existing data from the legacy database, creation of simplified workflows so that the Subdivisions team could easily search and create reports from a browser based user interface to manage their day to day SPEAR processes.
Mipela has worked with Jemena to ensure this program is tailored to meets their needs and continues to provide enhancements, as and when required, to provide the best solution for management of SPEAR referrals within the Jemena electricity network.
Part of the recipe for our continuous improvement is to gain insight from some of the industries experts, to get a broader knowledge of their plans, their drivers and how we can add value to not only them, but also the individuals at Mipela.
It’s been a knowledge packed few months that was kicked off by our own GIS and Solutions Guru, Alana O’Connor, presenting on Trust and Credibility – there was so much talk about! Three things to consider… what you do reflects on your own Personal reputation, the reputation of the Company you work for and your Public reputation.
Now that we had our reputation in check, some of the Brisbane staff ventured out to attend the Pre-Excavation Management Around Subsurface Utilities Training Course with the team at DBYD Certification Ltd. This has provided a deeper understanding around the process Locators go through and also the importance of logging an enquiry Before You Dig!
Special guest and long-time friend to Hayden McDonald, Susan Jaques from Sage Consulting came into Mipela HQ and presented an Introduction and Overview of the Australian Standards & AS2885. Not only a lovely woman but she had so much knowledge to share that two of the team are now undertaking AS2885 Pipeline Pathways Training.
Mell Greenall from Before You Dig Australia (BYDA) came into Mipela HQ to talk BYDA and damage prevention. With a focus on education and awareness BYDA are focusing on lifting the focus of their awareness programs to focus on safe excavation practices and the importance of understanding the risk of underground infrastructure.
This coming week we are very excited to kick off the 2022 APGA Annual Convention and Exhibition with APGA’s President of the Board of Directors, Donna McDowall. Donna will be taking our knowledge of APAG to a deeper level, and we will have the opportunity to ask her about her journey in the industry.
Gosh, that was a lot, wasn’t it. Thank you to everyone that has taken time out of their busy schedules to join the Mipela team and add value to our people and our Kamapim Project.
Jaci Button